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  Systems and methods for automated wireless authorization for entry into a geographic areaThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080084272. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001]The present invention relates generally to authorization for entry into a geographic area, such as automated toll collection for vehicular passage along a road. More specifically, the present invention relates to automated wireless toll collection systems and methods operable with signals associated with existing Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) or other networks where a subscriber is invoiced based on a mobile station associated with the subscriber. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]Many worldwide road systems require the payment of tolls for passing vehicular traffic. Conventionally, these tolls were paid in cash, and a driver of a vehicle would have to stop, often repeatedly, at toll booths in order to pay the toll. This necessarily results in traffic delays as vehicles are forced to stop and form queues in order to pay. These traffic delays result in increased travel time and passenger frustration. Furthermore, the stop-and-go nature of the traffic jams adds wear and tear to vehicle components such as brakes, and requires increased amounts of gas, which increases both pollution levels and the travel costs associated with the journey. The same problem exists for vehicles that have to pay to enter any designated area for which a fee is required, and extends to situations that do not require a vehicle, such as a person who must wait in a queue to gain entrance to a theater for which a fee is charged, or to an area where a security check is necessary and entry is restricted to authorized people. [0003]In recent years, automated toll systems and other systems authorizing entry into a particular region have been developed in an attempt to alleviate some of these problems. These automated toll systems generally implement Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and require a vehicle or person to be equipped with a unique physical device such as a transponder designed to receive a specific signal and transmit a specific reply. These transponders are separate physical devices used only for a single purpose such as automatic toll collection, and a user of these devices must purchase the transponder. They are also normally semi-passive devices that require a power source such as a battery that must be periodically replaced. Furthermore, if a person uses more than one vehicle, either a different transponder is required for each vehicle, or the transponder must be moved between vehicles. Additionally a transponder will only work on systems with which it is compatible, and may therefore become useless if a driver crosses state, provincial, or national boundaries, or otherwise uses a road covered by a different RFID network, for example. [0004]Conventional automatic toll collection systems and methods such as these typically do not require that the vehicle come to a complete stop. However, they still require that the vehicles slow down significantly, for example from a standard highway speed of 65 mph down to 15 mph. Furthermore, due to limitations of this technology, the vehicles still must form a queue and pass through single lane toll booths to pass within a few meters of a device such as a RFID reader in order for this device to properly receive a signal from the transponder in a vehicle. These forced lane changes and required decelerations increase the possibility of vehicular accidents that can result in property damage or serious bodily injury. As a result, traffic flow and associated inefficiencies and dangers remain severely and negatively affected by these automated toll collection procedures. Other existing systems and methods also require that the person or vehicle reduce speed, alter the direction of travel, or form a queue. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005]From the foregoing, it is apparent there is a direct need for systems and methods for automated toll collection where the vehicles do not have to alter the naturally occurring traffic flow or be otherwise distracted in order to pay a toll while driving along a road. This same direct need exists to allow vehicles or persons to pay a fee for entrance into any geographic area without impeding the vehicles or persons entrance into that area. To increase efficiency and reduce the possibility of accidents associated with abrupt lane changes, it is not necessary for vehicles or people to reduce their speed, form a queue, or travel in a specific lane. To further increase efficiency and convenience, it is desirable avoid requiring purchase and use of a dedicated automatic toll payment device by using a multi-functional device that is already in the drivers or persons possession. This improves travel time, associated costs, and vehicle passenger safety. [0006]Thus, the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned problems and others by providing methods related to automatic electronic authorization for entry into a geographical area based on detection of a mobile station operable on a Global System for Mobile communications network, comprising: transmitting, by a transmitter associated with a toll base station, a signal indicating the presence of the toll base station; detecting, by a receiver associated with the toll base station, a request by a mobile station to connect to the toll base station; transmitting, by the transmitter, an identity request signal to the mobile station; detecting an identity response signal that identifies the mobile station; determining the identity of a subscriber associated with the mobile station based on the detected identity response signal; and authorizing the subscriber to enter the geographical area based on the determined subscriber identity. [0007]The above mentioned aim and others are also achieved by a system for automatic electronic authorization for entry into a geographical area based on detection of a mobile station operable on a Global System for Mobile communications network, comprising: a transmitter associated with a toll base station, the transmitter transmitting a signal indicating the presence of the toll base station; a receiver associated with the toll base station, the receiver detecting a request by a mobile station to connect to the toll base station; the transmitter transmitting an identity request signal to the mobile station; the receiver detecting an identity response signal that identifies the mobile station; a processor determining the identity of a subscriber associated with the mobile station based on the detected identity response signal; and the processor authorizing the subscriber to enter the geographical area based on the determined subscriber identity. [0008]In certain embodiments, the invention may also include extracting billing parameters associated with the subscriber; and processing the identity response signal to invoice the subscriber a monetary amount of a toll due for passage along a road, based on the identity response signal associated with the mobile subscriber. It is also possible to connect the mobile station to the toll base station, and subsequently releasing the connection between the mobile station and the toll base station, where the mobile station then connects to a base station that is part of a Global System for Mobile communications network. The identity request signal detected by the toll base station may also include an International Mobile Equipment Identity signal that uniquely identifies the mobile station. Furthermore, the identity of the subscriber may be determined as the processor compares the extracted characteristics of the subscriber with a database containing data associated with a plurality of subscribers of an automatic toll payment service; and verifies that a detected identity response signal is associated with one of the plurality of subscribers. [0009]The word "toll" as used throughout the entirety of this document including the figures and claims broadly refers not only to a conventional monetary charge for vehicular passage along a roadway, but also to a fee charged for vehicular entrance into a parking lot or other geographic area, as well as to a fee charged to a person for receiving a service, or for passage of that person into any geographic area. [0010]The aim and objects of this invention are achieved by the methods and systems according to independent claim 1 and any other independent claims of this invention. Further details may be found in the remaining dependent claims. [0011]Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating the principles of the invention by way of example only. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012]The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the invention itself, will be more fully understood from the following description of various embodiments, when read together with the accompanying drawings, in which: [0013]FIG. 1 is a flow chart depicting a method for automatic electronic authorization for entry into a geographic area based on detection of a mobile station in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; [0014]FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting a system for automatic electronic authorization for entry into a geographic area based on detection of a mobile station in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and [0015]FIG. 3 is a diagram indicating the toll base station range in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0016]As shown in the drawings for the purposes of the illustration, the invention may be embodied in systems and methods for automatic electronic toll payment based on detection of a mobile station. These systems and methods allow vehicles or persons to maintain their present speed and travel lane. Embodiments of the invention are compatible with existing mobile stations that a vehicle occupant has on his or her person and do not require a separate, dedicated device. [0017]In brief overview, FIG. 1 is a flow chart depicting a method 100 for automatic electronic authorization for entry into a geographic area based on detection of a mobile station in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Method 100 begins with the step of transmitting a toll base station signal (STEP 105). Transmitting the toll base station signal (STEP 105) may occur with the use of an antenna, such as for example a sector antenna, in order to precisely control the geographic area over which the signal is transmitted. However, other types of antennas, such as omni-directional antenna may be used. Transmitting the toll base station signal (STEP 105), may include transmitting the signal as a Radio Frequency (RF) signal. [0018]After transmitting the toll base station signal (STEP 105), method 100 proceeds to the step of detecting a request by a mobile station to connect to the toll base station (STEP 110). Detecting step (STEP 100) may be accomplished by use of a receiver associated with the toll base station, and the detected signal may include a radio frequency or other type of wireless signal or transmission. The signal may be detected in any manner or location provided this detection (STEP 110) is communicated to logic associated with the toll base station. Typically the request to connect to the toll base station originates from a mobile station. Upon detection of a request from a device such as a mobile station to connect to the toll base station (STEP 110), method 100 proceeds to transmit an identity request signal (STEP 115). Generally, the purpose of this transmission (STEP 115) is to request information that uniquely identifies the originating source of the request to connect to the toll base station that was received during the receiving step (STEP 110). Transmission of the identity request may be accomplished by any transmission means, including the transmission means used for transmitting the toll base station signal (STEP 105). [0019]Once transmitting an identity request signal (STEP 115), method 100 waits for the detection of an identity response signal (STEP 120). Generally this identity response signal is a signal that uniquely identifies the device that has requested to connect to the toll base station. In various embodiments, STEP 120 may include detecting an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) associated with the device, where the device may be a mobile station such as a mobile telephone. [0020]At this point of method 100, a base station, which transmits its signal over a specific geographic area (STEP 105), has received a request by a device to connect to the toll base station (STEP 110), and has transmitted a request for an identity signal (STEP 115) and received (STEP 120) a response to this request that identifies the device. Method 100 typically proceeds with the step of authenticating a subscriber identity (STEP 125), where the subscriber identity typically includes information related to the person carrying the device. Typically, this step entails verifying an association between the device and a person, such as the owner of the device. In other words, the device, which may be a mobile station such as a mobile telephone is associated with a person, such as the owner of the mobile phone. Continue reading... Full patent description for Systems and methods for automated wireless authorization for entry into a geographic area Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Systems and methods for automated wireless authorization for entry into a geographic area patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20080272880 - Device with ic, soc or sip having one or more remotely enabled module and methods for selling the device - A device comprises an integrated circuit comprising N first circuit modules each having an enabled state, wherein N is an integer greater than zero and M second circuit modules each having a disabled state, wherein M is an integer greater than zero. 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